Cancer chemotherapy is a special type of systemic treatment of cancerous tumors, i.e. due to getting into the bloodstream, the substances used affect the whole body.
Chemotherapy actively affects precisely fast-growing cells, so chemotherapy is considered one of the most effective methods of treating cancerous tumors. However, such a treatment also has a negative effect. Chemotherapy for cancer affects not only abnormal cells, but also completely healthy ones, which are characterized by rapid growth. These are cells of the oral cavity, stomach, intestines, blood-forming system and hair follicles.
The effect on any cancer cell that is in the body is the goal of systemic therapy, in particular chemotherapy. Providing an effect on the local area, the methods of local treatment are very different from it. In this case, chemotherapy has a more pronounced effect.
One of the unpleasant moments is the side effects that are controlled and relieved by medication. Cancer chemotherapy (its type and course) varies in each case, so do not be very surprised that the drugs in different patients do not match. It depends on various factors - the degree of involvement of the lymph nodes in the tumor growth process, its size, oncogen expression, hormonal status and many other parameters that are taken into account by doctors when choosing medication.
Now let's go a little deeper into cytology - cell biology . The cells of a living organism are constantly involved in division. For some, this process is faster, while for others it is slower. In any case, the growth and division process is controllable. The main difference between diseased and healthy cells is that cancer cells divide and grow uncontrollably. Cancer chemotherapy destroys cancer cells, stopping their vital processes. However, the question arises - does this situation affect healthy cells? Yes, it does, but only those whose development is fast. However, the effect on cancer cells spreads more actively, therefore chemotherapy is very effective.
Chemotherapy for breast cancer is one of the main stages of the complex treatment of this tumor and not only. This method is used both after surgery to prevent recurrence and spread of metastases, and before surgery to reduce the area of the tumor. From here we will make an important conclusion - the chemical effect after the operation has prophylactic significance.
Accumulations of individual tumor cells that have separated from the primary tumor cannot be detected by any modern and accurate technique. Any area of the body can serve as their location. Damaging to these cells, chemotherapy significantly reduces the risk of re-development of the tumor.
Cancer chemotherapy is done in cycles. The time during which a prescribed chemotherapy drug is given to a patient is called a cycle. A full course is a certain amount prescribed by a doctor. Depending on the type of drug, it may include from 4 to 7 cycles.
There are types of cancer that can only be cured with chemotherapy. However, for most cases this is not applicable. In such situations, this kind of therapy is used to control the development of the disease and in order to alleviate the symptoms. The main reason that using chemotherapy is not always possible to cure diseases such as cancer is the ability of cancer cells to become resistant to the drugs used or to have this property initially.